Religion

"Religion is a way of walking, not a way of talking". Dean William R. Inge

I find this quote a profound statement and agree with it wholeheartedly. It seems to me that those among us who feel compelled to "evangelize" their religious beliefs and invest tremendous amounts of energy into converting the unconvinced (or the merely content) is a folly of grand proportions and I can't help but wonder about the basic insecurity in one's faith if one needs the validation of others in order to feel safe and secure and "right" in that faith.

As a neo-pagan, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Taoist, I believe that my greatest gift to the world of faith is to simply walk in the ways of love and compassion and pray for balance and harmony, for myself, for others, for the world. I don't believe in sin, I find it a silly and immature notion. I do believe in Karma, but I don't believe it sneaks up on us and whacks us over the head for something we did or didn't do in a previous incarnation. For me, the most important thing in the ways of faith and religion is to keep things as clear and clean as possible. It's important to finish each day and be done with it. It's important to forgive myself, and others, fallibility and humanity. I'm quite fond of John Lennon's "Instant Karma":

"...Instant karma's gonna get you
Gonna knock you off your feet
Better recognize your brothers
Eve’ryone you meet
Why in the world are we here
Surely not to live in pain and fear
Why on earth are you there
When you'’re eve’rywhere
Come and get your share"


Why on earth am I here? For the same reason I've been "here" over and over: I'm a healer, and according the the Buddhists, what I am is what I will be and what I will be is what I have always been: a healer and at 47 years old I'm beginning to understand just what gift I have been given; an ability to see the pain and hurt and disease in others and with that ability, a desire to do something about it, through acts of love and prayer and song. I am so deeply grateful for the people who come my way, and for the gift of being a force of healing for myself, and for others.

For this I am truly, deeply grateful.

Connie